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Outlaws Clinch Top Seed, Keep Perfect Season in Play

from staff reports

DENVER — With a 14-12 win against the
Chesapeake Bayhawks in front of 8,235 fans at Sports Authority
Field at Mile High, the Denver Outlaws clinched the MLL's top
playoff seed on Saturday. The Outlaws also secured a league record
for best winning percentage in a single season by improving to 12-0
on the season.

The previous win-percentage record was shared by four teams who
all went 10-2 (.833 pct.). At 12-0, the Outlaws are guaranteed no
worse than a 12-2 (.857 pct.) finish.

Saturday's win marked Denver's 18th consecutive regular-season
victory, a mark that has more than doubled the previous league
record for seven straight wins. The Outlaws' 12 wins on the year
tie a league record that was last reached in 2002.

Denver's 7-0 home record this year represents the first
seven-win home campaign by a team in league history and just the
fourth undefeated home record for a season in league annals. The
Outlaws went 6-0 at home in 2008, which is the last season a team
accomplished that feat.

Midfielders Jeremy Sieverts (four goals) and Drew Snider (three
goals, one assist) paced Denver, which scored the first four goals
of the fourth quarter to break a 10-10 tie.

Denver coach Jim Stagnitta downplayed the significance of
clinching the top seed. “I don't think it matters. Everyone
is going to say that is crazy," he said. "They are all good and
we're going to have to beat some good teams to win a championship.
We get a couple extra hours of rest, but I think it is as much
about maintain momentum and continuing to play well going into the
final four."

"It's our goal to win the championship," Stagnitta
added. "If we can go undefeated and do that, that's great.
We’re not going into any game trying to do anything different
than trying to win. So if we can continue to do the same things and
be successful, then we do have a chance to go undefeated, but it's
one game at a time."

Attackman Drew Westervelt scored four goals for Chesapeake,
including three straight in the first quarter as the Bayhawks
jumped out to a 4-1 lead before the Outlaws fought back to tie the
game at 5 in the second quarter.

Denver and Hamilton (9-3) have clinched playoff berths.
Chesapeake (7-5), which had a three-game winning streak snapped,
remains in third place, a game ahead of Charlotte (6-6) and two
games up on Rochester (5-7) and Boston (5-7).

New York (3-9) and Ohio (1-11) have been eliminated from playoff
contention.

“We have to win another game to get into the
playoffs," Bayhawks coach Dave Cottle said. "I’m not worried
about momentum or seeding right now. We just need to get the next
one,” Cottle said.